Air

Taxi fares from the airport to Hue City are approximately 250,000 VND and a motorbike taxi should be around 120,000 VND. The airport also offers a bus service to cover the route and you can book this at the airport for 50,000 VND although it’s not always running.

Train

Hue is an express stop on the main north-south train line between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The train station is located at the eastern end of Le Loi Road, on the south bank of the Ben Ngu River. Express trains are numbered with an SE prefix, and local trains, which cost less but take a lot longer, are prefixed TN. The latter may be your only choice if your destination is not an express stop—connecting to a local train from a nearby express stop will usually take longer than just taking the local all the way there.

A dizzying array of rates are available, depending on the speed of the train, whether you’re sitting or sleeping, and whether you choose a hard or soft surface to do it on. Always check availability one day in advance when possible, and arrive an half hour early for your departure.

Bus

Although catching the local bus is a cheap way of getting around the province, it’s by far the slowest and most complicated way to travel—conductors rarely speak English, the buses can be crowded, there is rarely any air-con and stops are frequent, so you’ll need to stay on the ball and have some kind of idea of where you need to disembark as it’s unlikely the conductor will let you know when you get to your destination. Prices also vary depending on the mood of your driver and buses frequently breakdown.

For these reason, many opt for tour buses (arranged through travel agents and hotels in town) or, for longer haul trips, go for the train or a flight.

Hue has two hub bus stations, the Northern Bus Station: Phia Bac around 5km to the northwest of town and the Southern Bus Station: Phia Nam Station a couple of kilometres to the south. Both serve long and short haul services, but it is far more convenient (and often more comfortable) to use a private bus service organised through an agent in town. Tickets can be arranges through agents or booked online in advance.